


The Bell Tolls

by ChickenXD



Category: Hatoful Kareshi | Hatoful Boyfriend
Genre: Holistar spoilers, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-25
Updated: 2015-10-25
Packaged: 2018-04-28 00:33:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 999
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5071060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChickenXD/pseuds/ChickenXD
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Can I go with you?”</p><p>Shuu hadn’t meant to ask the question. It just blurted out of his mouth, out of nowhere - </p><p> </p><p>The migrant, who had just walked away a few steps, stopped and turned around to Shuu. He seemed puzzled by the question –</p><p>“You mean on the train?”</p><p>Shuu gave a nod.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Bell Tolls

**Author's Note:**

> Based on a shindan prompt maker... the prompt was "Leave me behind, please..."

The boy saw it in a dream – a dream where the night does not end and the morning does not exist; a dream where everyone is living together happily.

The silver grass field was glowing as brightly as the stars in the night sky, forming a white stream that flows towards the south.

In that dream, the boy saw the person he loved.

 

He could hear faint the ring of the signal, coming from the distance.

“The King’s Station! The King’s Station!”

A train appears, slowly getting closer to him. It didn’t seem to be running on any tracks – it was afloat in the air, as if it was riding on the gentle night wind. The train itself looked a lot like a shadow, as if you can reach your hand to touch it and only touch the air.

The train stopped moving, and the conductor – a black bird in a uniform – stepped out.

 

“Well, I guess it's time for me to leave.”

The migrant gathered his stuff into a sack and walked towards the train.

Shuu could only stand there and watch as he left. There was no way to stop him – Shuu must go back to the real world, while the migrant must continue his journey.

 _This is just like eleven years ago, isn't it – once again, you're going somewhere I can't follow, and there's no way to stop you from leaving_.

The migrant walked a few steps towards the train, along with the other birds, before he suddenly stopped and turned to look at Shuu.

“Ah, right! I almost forgot! Come here for a second, old friend.”

“...please, don't act so familiar.”

 _Things have changed, Kawara-sensei. I'm no longer the Isa you knew and loved_ –

“I have something for you!” The migrant put down his sack, and started fishing for something in it. “Hm, wait a minute, what do I have? Sorry, I can never keep my things straight...”

 

_“Isa-kun, did you see my notepad, the one with a flower on the cover? I'm sure I put it here...”_

_“You lent it to Nishikikouji-san, sensei.”_

_“Ahh, that's right! I'll go ask him...”_

 

Looking at the migrant like this felt somewhat reminiscent.

“Indeed. You're always picking up useless gew gaws, and you never put them in order.”

“Ah...” The migrant didn't seem to be listening to Shuu's complaint. He continued fishing, and he must've found whatever he was looking for because he was smiling.

“There it is! I got this in the Orion's belt!”

He took out a big rock, and handed it excitedly to Shuu.

“It's a fossil! Isn't it cool? It's huge!”

“...are you a child?”

“Hey, geology is fun too! You should try going on an excavation sometime!”

 

_“When you grow up and become strong, let's mount an ocean expedition, Isa-kun!”_

 

“I shall... keep that in mind.”

_I'm finally grown up, sensei – and yet I still can't go with you._

“Okay! I should go now, before the train leaves –”

The migrant carried his sack and turned around to leave. The other birds were lining up to enter the train now, and the conductor was about to let them in –

“–I guess this is goodbye.”

 

“Can I go with you?”

Shuu hadn’t meant to ask the question. It just blurted out of his mouth, out of nowhere -

 

The migrant, who had just walked away a few steps, stopped and turned around to Shuu. He seemed puzzled by the question –

“You mean on the train?”

Shuu gave a nod.

“Well, nobody is saying you can't,” the migrant said, “But why would you? Don't you want to go back to Earth with your friends?”

“Not really,” Shuu replied. “It’s not worth it. I hate being alive anyways.”

“Aww, don’t say that!” The migrant walked towards Shuu and touched his shoulder, “I miss being alive too, you know? Since I’m dead, I don’t get to see my family and friends anymore…”

“I don’t have any of those,” Shuu replied, “So I don’t think it would pose any big risk to go with you.”

“But still…”

The migrant sighed.

“I’d love it if you can come with me, too,” he said, “But you really shouldn’t. It’s not time yet.

“I know life can be tough sometimes, but you should try to enjoy it while you can!”

“That’s easy for you to say,” Shuu shot back. “Things… have changed so much without you.”

Shuu immediately regretted saying that, because he could see the migrant’s expression change into a sadder one.

 _I shouldn’t have said that… what’s going on in my life is not his fault anymore, is it_.

 

“Iwamine-sensei!”

Shuu could faintly hear Sakuya calling him from the distance.

“It’s time for us to go, sensei! Come on!”

“Coo! Coo coo coo! (Be patient, Sakuya! Sensei is talking with someone!)”

 

“Mister migrant! Can you please hurry up? We’re on a schedule here!”

The conductor was standing by the door, ready to close it.

“One second!” the migrant shouted back, “Please wait for me!

 

“Your friends are calling.”

The migrant took Shuu’s hand in his, and smiled, as brightly as ever. The migrant’s hand was strangely cold -

“You should go with them,” he said. “I have to go too, on the train.”

“...I see.”

Maybe it’s selfishness, to want to go on the train. Or maybe it's just longing –

“Leave me behind, please.”

The migrant squeezed Shuu's hand tighter, and Shuu could see the sadness in his bright, red eyes. He started to wonder how his expression looked like –

“We will... certainly meet again,” the migrant reassured. “It's not time yet. Until then –

“Until then, I'll always be somewhere in the sky, watching you from among the stars, alright?”

 

“This train is bound for the Southern Cross!”

 

The gentle wind blew, and the silver grass swayed, danced along with it.

As Shuu walked towards the other birds, he could hear the sound of the train's machine, slowly getting softer and softer, until it is no longer heard –

And the dream ended.

**Author's Note:**

> also this (http://archiveofourown.org/works/4751561/chapters/11189548) is when iwameanie does indeed die.... it really is unrelated but i'm putting it there bc it's kinda sorta related


End file.
